NYT: Enormous Climb In Metal-On-Metal Device Complaints

A report in the New York Times from its August 22, 2011 edition indicates that the number of complaints filed by recipients of metal-on-metal hip replacement devices surged this year. Surveying U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data, the Times discovered that the agency has received more than 5,000 adverse reports since January 2011. This is a higher number of reports than the agency received regarding metal-on-metal devices over the previous four years combined. According to the data, the majority of people complaining are those that have had their metal-on-metal hip replacement devices removed due to failure. The article suggests that such widespread implant failure could potentially drive the cost of the DePuy hip replacement recall past that of the Medtronic heart implant in 2007.

Complaints only Scratch the Surface of Potential Symptoms

The Times also discussed metallosis, toxic metal poisoning caused by metal ions flaking off the implant into the recipient’s surrounding soft tissue and bloodstream. The buildup of this foreign substance may lead to a variety of issues including death of the tissue in which it accumulates. Metal erosion also causes implants to fail, worsening the deleterious outcomes of metal-on-metal hip replacements.

ASR “One of the Most Problematic Devices”

DePuy’s ASR is specifically named as one of the most problematic metal-on-metal devices in the New York Times report. According to the report, the ASR accounts for 75 percent of the complaints the Times reviewed. This is a staggering figure when one considers the sheer number of complaints the report reviewed.

Reportedly, most surgeons are now refusing to implant metal-on-metal devices due to the recently uncovered dangers of such systems. DePuy has already reacted by adding the first ceramic-on-ceramic hip replacement system – the Pinnacle CoMplete hip replacement system – to its line of products.

RLG Represents ASR Recipients

As criticism of the ASR increases, recipients of device must be alarmed. If you have suffered a failure in your DePuy hip replacement device, then you should seek out help from the experienced product litigators at the Rottenstein Law Group. For a free consultation with an RLG attorney regarding your potential ASR lawsuit, please fill out this contact form.